Bewitched water Part 2 Chapter 1
by Sevirina
Summary: Now that the world seems safe from evil spirits, the main spirit of sky perishes suddenly from the hand of an old Northern witch. Seyvina, the spirit of earth, knows that the times have changed and they no longer can protect the earth. It is time for her to open up a secret script, stolen by her from the Creator's inn in the sky too learn about the origin of the world.


The frosty mountain peaks could be mistaken for spike-like towers, where winter sorcerers could live – such an appropriate place it seemed for those mysterious magic creatures – they were awe-inspiring as well as extremely solitary. There was no end to the heavy thrust of the snowfall and it seemed to be turning more and more into an impenetrable wall of white snowflakes. This was indeed the end of the world, the end of the continent anyway, and it was also a place where no ordinary creature could find his way to even by chance. Therefore Duhovlad could not expect to see a human being, a wild animal or a trace of either of them here. He was the only black spot that intervened into the white and blue of the majestic peaks and towers of the wild, uninhabitable land that spread far beyond the borders of Luthevit. Duhovlad wrapped himself up more and more in his thick fur coat while walking and climbing in a vain attempt to hide from the cold, meanwhile his feet and knees sank deeply in the snowdrifts with every step he took. However hard it was for him to walk and climb through the thick snowfall and heavy wind, he was still very calm and not at all scared. The truth was that he had long ago forgotten the very perception of this sensation and he did not intend to ever recall it. There was not a single creature or a thing in the world that was beyond his control; he had too perfect knowledge of that to ever feel otherwise.

Soon he spotted a black dot in the distance; it had been hidden before behind the frosty towers of ice and rock. Though he could hardly see it through the snowflakes and the wind, Duhovlad still guessed that this was the very thing that he was looking for in this desolate land. Upon approaching it he could tell that it was a very tiny wooden inn, faintly lit, with the smoke coming out of the chimney. It was happily situated on the top of a hill, so that the snow could be rolled down from it and the inn did not sink in it eventually. He opened the creaky door without knocking and walked inside. The room was very badly lit with several candle lights and there was a fire playing in the stove, but there was no sign of the hostess anywhere, as if she fell asleep from the soothing and peaceful snowfall. Duhovlad slammed the door with a shrilly sound, and suddenly an old woman's voice said grudgingly:

- What are you making so much noise for? And what is this snow that you brought in the room about?

Duhovlad turned around and saw the woman's figure in the dark corner of the room; she was sitting in the chair behind the table. The woman was blackened and dry as if after many years of hard work, her face was rough, with prominent hooked nose and sullen cheeks. Her dark malicious eyes could not betray one's trust; they did not promise you any good. Duhovlad came closer to her and sat down in the chair near the table.

- Did not see you there, - he said abruptly, - what are you hiding there in the dark for? Don't tell me you did not know I would come today.

- I have not the slightest inclination to do so.

- Good. Because I think it was you who summoned me here, wasn't it? What is it that you want from me now?

- I can see you are wasting no time for ceremony. If you want to get straight to the point, this is no better for you, - she said with a wide complacent grin.

- What is the meaning of this? Are you trying to threaten me? – Duhovlad frowned, feeling a sudden urge of fury towards this old detestable creature.

- There is no need for threats, Duhovlad, you know it well enough without me. After all that has happened for the last ten years and after all warnings that I have given to you I am not in a way to give you more advice or, as you put it, to threaten you.

- You would have to explain your point. If this is not a threat then by far it is not a friendly greeting.

- You have disappointed the Lords for the last ten years for too many times, Duhovlad. You have been losing your powers, and yet you have not come up with any solution, with any idea of fixing the situation. There have been no wars, no conflicts in the world since the last Great War of Radimich. Humans have been living in peace for too long now. Yet you are quite aware of the fact that it does not do the Lords any good. They can't wait forever, you know, for the reinforcement of their power from you.

- Neither can I. However, this is all fixable: my new project is under way. It is even more cunning and sophisticated than before and it needs more time. I am not trying to take you in or anything, it is indeed working. When I succeed, you will be amazed at how ingenious I am.

- If you are talking about your plan of influencing the governor of Radimich, then I already have full knowledge of that and I have to tell you that I am not impressed. You think you can exert your influence over him and you even have little success with him, yet this is all you can gain with him, as your beloved Seyvina will appear and ruin all you work in one day.

- Seyvina will do no such thing, - he laughed, - as she is a woman, and women do not lull warm feelings towards men who fall in love with other women and marry them. Besides, I can exert influence over her too and I will prevent her from any attempt at confusing Volibor.

- Just like you did ten years ago, when she ran off to him and set the whole world on fire? – She was still grinning at him maliciously. - You turned out to be so helpless and powerless then against her and not because she was stronger, but because you were not in control of your own feelings. Your feelings overwhelmed you and I do not see it that anything has changed since that time.

- I am always in control of my feelings! – Duhovlad roared, - and what can you, an old and paltry creature as you are, know about my feelings? I do not have that many of them.

- Your ardent speech cannot deceive me, - she replied as steadily as before, not at all scared by his emotional upsurge. – You think you can control Seyvina! – She burst out laughing suddenly and her eyes seemed insane at that moment, - that you have controlled her at any time! You are thinking too highly of yourself, indeed.

- Excuse me? You obviously have gone mad, - he returned calmly now, as he could no longer take her retorts seriously.

- You know nothing of your own wife, dear, - she settled back in her chair, happy and pleased with herself, as she was all in anticipation of the wrath and disappointment, that were now to flood the room. – It is Seyvina who has always been controlling you, all this time, for many thousands of years. And you knew not how she had taken you in.

- What on earth are you talking about? – His face grew pale, even though he still could not believe anything that she was about to say.

- You think you fell in love with this innocent creature because it was your destiny, don't you? Because she was the most beautiful and the most charming woman that ever inhabited this planet. Yes, that's what you thought. Yet what you did not know was that she used a spell to lure you into her trap and seduce you. This was all her order magic's doing: the cast of love was used against you. This spell made you fall fiercely in love with her – all out of the blue moon, and you gave up all your plans and made new ones instead, but all according to her will. You could not even see then that she was not that pretty and not that charming; she fooled you like a scholar boy.

- Again, you are insane if you think that I can take any of that seriously. – He was still calm and even-tempered, reluctant to believe any word of the old woman.

- But certainly I am telling you the truth. Even if you keep denying it, you will soon comprehend it on your own: why do you think all of a sudden you, a cruel and ruthless monster as you were, became so soft, feeble and capable of love and passion? It was too unlike you to experience all those things, yet you did so, which came in very useful for your dear Seyvina, did not it? She and her people benefited a great deal from it and what did you get? You let her survive and turn into an even more powerful spirit than before. And now you would not be able to destroy her, even if you wished to.

- Let me interrupt this nonsense right now, as all this is not true at least for one reason: you would have told me about it thousands of years ago if it were truth. Nevertheless, you choose to tell me this now, as it is a new tale that you have invented recently and you mean to put me off with it, to confuse my thoughts, feelings and plans. You intend to generate a conflict between me and my wife. The question is: why do you need it? Is it a new source of power for the Lords?

- There is no need to make any kind of a conflict between you and your wife. I would have told you about this before, but I found out about it only when your precious spouse went to see Damora ten years ago. I saw them talk about it in my visions. I am not letting you go this time, you know. I have no plans for you of any kind here on the earth. You have proved quite useless and I am afraid there will be no more chances for you.

- This is ridiculous! You can't harm me, old woman. I am too powerful even for you. Have you perhaps forgotten that everything in this world obeys me?

He rose from the chair and leaned over her, mighty, menacing and huge, like a mountain. The idea of this tiny feeble old woman withstanding him was indeed laughable. However, she did not stir; she just kept gazing at him in that particular malignant manner of hers. Suddenly he felt an abrupt pang in his chest, as though somebody's icy hand gripped his heart and started to swirl it around inside him. He could not stand on his feet from pain, so he fell down on his knees and bent over, as if bowing to the tiny old woman. She was sitting in the chair – still and malicious, and pleased. Duhovlad could see now that his chest was turning blue, like those frosty mountains outside – his inside was turning into ice and he could not outdo this: no power of his, no effort of his will could now make it stop. He became so helpless and so weak now, like a boy, like a human boy. And the old witch was as strong as a demon, she was murdering him slowly and soon the huge icy figure fell on the floor and got scattered in thousands of sharp blue pieces.

The heavy snowstorm made it almost impossible to see anything around, they were both on the top of the hill, standing on the very edge of it, they had chosen this place to get a better view of the ragged mountain peaks and the white valleys below. Yet now it seemed there was no use standing there as the landscape was scarcely to be seen because of the wall of snow. However, it was too late to make any alterations to the ceremony. Duhovlad was wearing massive furs, which made him look even more stupendous; Seyvina herself was wrapping herself up deeper in the furs, as she was more and more aware of the ringing frost penetrating everything. The fluffy snowflakes were hurting the face skin like thousands of needles and tiny blades. It seemed that everyone was looking forward to the sooner end of the wedding judging by the worn out faces of the ballins and spirits who were standing around. Seyvina was looking in Duhovlad's face, as he was in hers. He was holding her hands tightly; he was almost squeezing them, while the priest was uttering the long-awaited speech, which once and for all bound them for an eternity. At that moment she lulled no other wish but to be with him and, despite the recent overwhelming and blood-curdling events, felt calm and peaceful, and quite content with the way things stood. It was when the priest's speech was over that Duhovlad bent to her in order to give her a light kiss on the lips, which could be no other way because of the frost. It was then that Seyvina saw that the frost had penetrated him and squeezed his heart. He was getting icy and blue from the inside; she gave a high-pitch cry as he fell on his knees and tried to undo the ice inside him with his hands; but in vain were all his attempts to stop it; it was seizing him more and more the way only the strongest alien magic could do. In a few seconds he was all frozen and he burst into the finest pieces, which sparkled on the snow like exquisite blue gems.

Seyvina woke up, horrified to her very core; her hands and knees were shaking out of terror. This was a new, strange kind of dream: it involved the past events, but they were all twisted. When they had had their wedding, there was no snow anywhere, it was cold and windy, but no more than that. There was no snowstorm, let alone any harmful events. Why would her imagination play with her this way now? It must have happened so because of her hidden fears for Duhovlad; after all, she had been eating her heart out in grave misgivings about him recently. The thing was that he had not showed up for a few weeks now, which was very much unlike him – he used to come to them every two or three days before. And she had called out to him for so many times during these past weeks, yet he would not come. Something was springing up in the world; his absence must have had severe grounds. After all, they had been living in peace for the whole ten years – perhaps the longest time in the history of humanity; something vicious was bound to happen. It was just that of all creatures she could have never expected it to happen to Duhovlad – the strongest ballin on the earth – therefore it was too shocking to think of it now; besides, if something could ever happen to him, what could become of them all, who were much less powerful than he was? How could they withstand those new forces?

Seyvina rose from the bed and left her room; she went directly to Ventseslava to make sure that she was fine. The ten-year-old girl was sleeping peacefully in her bed. Seyvina adjusted her blanket so that she did not get cold; for a few moments she was gazing at her in admiration as she was too beautiful and another day could not pass without

Seyvina saying to herself how lovely her child was. Duhovlad would often say that Ventseslava took it entirely after her; perhaps he was right – then it would be very flattering to her. Yet it was not her looks that puzzled her, but her character – she seemed to have taken almost nothing from her father and very little from her. There was too much kindness and goodness in her, too much even for Seyvina; sometimes she would feel scared that the girl would not be able to stand up for herself as a grown-up.

Seyvina went into the garden and took a brisk walk in the early morning invigorating weather to straighten up her thoughts. She needed to travel to Rodograd – that was becoming more and more obvious now. She needed to talk to Volibor and find out about all the strange things that were going on in the world. He was certain to know more about it. Otherwise, why else would he behave so strangely in the past years? About three years ago he changed the lifestyle of his court: there were almost no assemblies, no balls, no receptions. There were yearly anniversaries of the victory, but they were all held at night with little light and candles, and Volibor and his spouse would leave the celebration too soon for the governors. Besides, Volibor had become very inactive in the past years; she heard no more of reforms coming out, no more of changes in the lands defeated and captured ten years ago. They ceased their correspondence several years ago; it seemed they had very little in common now; he was occupied with his family and the state entirely; her interests came down to her daughter, nature and new spiritual levels. Caught up in her reflections, she took no notice of Tsvetnisa who had come up to her.

- What is this trouble about? – She asked cheerfully, - it is too fine a day to feel so disturbed.

- We need to set off for Rodograd, my dear friend, - Seyvina returned.

- When? – Asked Tsvetnisa, now a bit troubled too.

- Immediately. Let's pack things and get ready before midday.

- Why is there such a rush? Has something happened?

- No, not exactly. But I have a feeling that something is bound to happen and I have a strong desire to prevent it.

Seyvina looked at the smooth emerald water surface of the pond pensively, which was too thick and dark and concealed its inner life from the strange eye completely. Perhaps now it was high time to unveil her most cherished secret.

The ancient city with the walls as old as hills seemed to be so strange to her now, as they entered it. The people around were all hustling and bustling and walking promptly past each other without looking at each other, let alone smile to each other. Everyone seemed to be busy with the thoughts and troubles of their own and there was little time or desire left for anyone else. Seyvina recognized the walls, the grey stone houses, the lilac spacious square, spreading in the heart of the capital, right in front of the majestic lilac palace with the highest spike-like towers. Yet the recollection appeared to bring no peace to her, instead, it awoke some disquieting sensations, as if the seeming resemblance of things concealed the innermost change of everything, which was yet to be revealed.

Ten years ago, as she had left the capital and had gone to the Radiant Wood, she had thought that in ten years the city would have changed a lot, and the standards of life would have improved to such an extent that she would not be able to recognize anything and anyone here. But none of her expectations came true. The ten years had brought nothing, and she no longer understood why she had come here again and what she intended to achieve with her visit.

Yet here they were, right in front of the palace, talking to the warders, who, as it was much to be expected, refused to believe that they could have any business with the governor of Rodograd and the entire continent. They laughed in their faces and rejected any request to at least report to Volibor about their visit to Rodograd. Tsvetnisa never interfered in their conversation, she was just waiting calmly for Seyvina to lose her patience. And indeed Seyvina stopped talking to the warders and, without saying anything, rode away, Tsvetnisa and Ventseslava following her, then she stopped at a distance and looked back at the warders to do a little trick of her own. She might have spent ten peaceful years in the wood, yet on no account did this entail that she had forgotten anything. The magic of order was a magic of tricks, and he who was in control of it, could be in control of everything. Seyvina rushed into the minds of the warders and hypnotized them, just like she used to hypnotize immense monsters at the battlefield, only this was much easier, as there were fewer persons, and they were all feeble humans.

- Dear ladies, - cried out one of the warders, - do forgive our hostility, and kindly follow us into the castle. His majesty Volibor is awaiting you!

- At last! – Giggled Tsvetnisa. Ventseslava, being totally unaware of the trick, was astonished to her core.

- Mother, why have they changed their minds? They seemed to be so strict and unflinching just a moment ago.

- Human beings can be very inconstant in their actions and ways, you should better not take it to close to heart, - asked Seyvina, smiling darkly.

So the warders took them inside the castle, and led them to the throne hall, until the second group of warders stopped them.

- Who are these ladies and why are you taking them to the throne hall? – They asked firmly.

- These are His Majesty's highest guests, and they should be taken immediately to him, as he has been waiting for them.

- This is odd, as I have not received any orders from…

Seyvina looked at both warders, smiling in that grinning way of hers, and the warders stopped short.

- Although, of course I remember now, he said that if the three ladies come, they should be taken to him straight away! – He muttered, as if all of a sudden he was enlightened. The other warder nodded along.

Very soon they were all taken to the vast throne hall, surrounded by the high columns at sides, and crowned by an immense throne at the end of the chamber. This used to be a place for assemblies and balls, for receptions and councils. Now it was dark room with the windows all shut, and with the thinnest sunrays penetrating inside by mistake. The tapestries were all rolled up, the drawings were taken off, and the layer of dust proved it better than anything else that the hall had not been used for quite long a time.

Seyvina took heart to get some chairs out of the farthest corner of the hall and put them closer to the throne: they were likely to have a long conversation with Volibor, hence they could get prepared for it now. The three of them sat down on the chairs and waited for the governor to come. It did not take him long, however, to come to the throne hall. In a few minutes the high and wide doors of the throne hall opened and the stately and big figure of Volibor appeared in the chamber. He did not get thicker with time, he did not get much older either, Seyvina thought to herself at once, they only change that she noticed now was the beard, which he now was wearing thick; it covered half of his face. As he approached them, it became apparent that he was very discontented and did not mean to conceal it.

- Who has dared to interfere in the state affairs in such a rude manner by taking my time? – He began, when Seyvina rose to her feet, turned to him and lowered her hood. He stopped right in front of her, with his mouth a bit open, unable to utter a word. Many times before he had pictured this moment, but it was nothing like he had imagined it to be. It did astonish him to see Seyvina now so unexpectedly after ten years of separation; it did stir something inside him, he could not lie to himself. However, if before he had thought that it would be the sweetest and most amazing sensation to meet her, to see her, to talk to her, that it would turn his head, make his palms wet, his heart leap and it would turn him all of a sudden into a young timid boy, who knew not his way around women, now he felt it very clearly that none of these sensations remained. It was all in the past. Her beauty still took his breath away, but it did not mean anything to him now; in fact, nothing did. He was too old and too mature to be able to feel those childish things.

Seyvina saw it all and understood the way his thoughts were going now; in fact, she was feeling the same. There was a time when she dreamt of their meeting every day of her life and pictured it to be the most passionate moment of their lives, and here it was, and there was nothing special about it, as if there had been nothing between them in the past.

- Seyvina, what an unexpected and pleasant surprise! – He uttered finally, welcoming her and her company.

- Good day, Your Majesty, - she returned, - it is so nice to see you again.

- Seyvina, please, do call me Volibor, just like you used to, it pangs me to hear you take that official tone with me.

- I'm sorry, it just that I have not seen you for too long and do not know whether you have changed or not. So you have not, indeed this is a relief.

- Of course I have not changed! Who are your friends, by the way? – He turned to the other ladies, as a polite host should have done, - I recognize dear Tsvetnisa! – He shook her hand and then turned to Ventseslava.

- And this is my daughter, Ventseslava, - Seyvina uttered.

- Of course, of course, - he uttered hurriedly, - the resemblance is uncanny!

- It is indeed not so! – Seyvina contradicted.

- Seyvina is too shy to acknowledge it, - Tsvetnisa smiled.

There followed an awkward pause, which occurs when the conversers do not have any idea what to speak of next, as none of them knows what to expect of another one.

- It must be some particular business that made you set off on a trip to the city at this time of the year? – Asked Volibor at last, getting to the point.

- Precisely, - answered Seyvina, sighing, - I was wondering if you could help me make out the current situation in the world, as lately I have been feeling that things are changing, and they are changing not for the best.

- What on earth are you talking about? – laughed Volibor, - my dear friend, - what drew you to such dismal conclusions?

- Well, for one thing, the fact that I lost touch with you several years ago.

- Well, you know it happened by no specific design of mine; married people, especially the royal ones, who are in charge of a great territory, do not have much time to maintain distant attachments. I do not see many of my friends living in Rodograd either.

- The other thing is that I have not heard much of your doings for the previous years either.

- What do you mean? – Volibor asked, frowning.

- I have not heard of many changes in the political and economic order of the occupied lands.

- Occupied? Why would you call them that? They were never occupied, they were freed from invaders, saved from the horrible monsters and their rulers. You took a conspicuous part in this yourself, have you already forgotten it? – Volibor was grinning at her and talking with that new condescending air of his that was getting on Seyvina's nerves already.

- I call them occupied for a reason, Volibor. I do not mean to hurt you or to accuse you of anything, but could you really think that I am ignorant of the fact that all the prisons of Luthevit are still operating on the same basis that had been set up in the time of Chaslav? That the mines of Stroimir are filled with the blood of the slaves who are still working at them? Neither were the prisoners, nor the slaves of the 'so called freed lands' put to freedom in fact.

Volibor's face got distorted in a convulsion, and Seyvina could not help thinking that he looked so very much like her own spouse now when they were arguing. All of a sudden the doors of the hall were opened, and a lady came inside; in the dim lights it was hardly possible to discern her face. Yet she was moving in a majestic manner of a queen, and her robes were of such a grandeur that it was quite obvious who it was: Zdebora, Volibor's spouse herself. Seyvina would be lying to herself if she tried denying her own curiosity about Zdebora's looks and character. The lady came over to her husband and asked coldly and distantly:

- What is going on here?

- My darling, I am entertaining our guests.

- I do not remember sending any invitations this month, - said Zdebora in an even more arrogant manner than before. Volibor moved in the throne nervously. Seyvina and Tsvetnisa exchanged glances at this rude remark.

- Honey, but you don't realize who it is, - said Volibor ingratiatingly, - this is Lady Seyvina herself, and Lady Tsvetnisa with her. And this is Seyvina's daughter, Ventseslava. You have to remember them, we fought side by side ten years ago.

Even in the darkness it could not escape Seyvina's notice how everything in Volibor had changed since his wife entered the hall: the way he sat in the throne was clumsy, the way he spoke was servile, and his very countenance was now subservient. The stern ruler and commander was gone.

- Indeed I do remember them, - returned Zdebora in that ice-cold manner of hers, - well, I have to stay with you in order to help you entertain such high-rank guests. – She said by Volibor's side so freely, without asking his permission, as if she had long grown accustomed to acting as she pleaded with Volibor.

- Anyway, - proceeded Volibor in a new soothing manner now, - what I was saying there, Seyvina, is that you are talking about changes that cannot happen overnight. There are certain schemes in those lands that had been operating for many a year and even I am not in the position to change them drastically. I need more time and elaborate work to invent the most convenient way of adapting changes there. Otherwise the whole system can break down, and the lands can fall into chaos and anarchy. Is that what you would wish for?

- What are you talking about? – Seyvina retorted with impatience, - there had been no slaves in Stroimir for hundreds of years and they had appeared there only through Chernek's will. You could have demolished slavery there with your fingertip.

- With his fingertip! – Exclaimed Zdebora with contempt, - but that would stand in a way of his sitting in the library and day-dreaming about things he would never be able to aspire to do.

Seyvina stopped short, knowing not what to say to such an impolite remark of Volibor's wife. She turned to him for some retort, but he only lowered his gaze and said nothing.

- Well, as I was saying, - Seyvina continued, - I am not to accuse anyone, nor am I to judge anyone. I would wish to find out as much as I can about strange things happening around. Have you noticed anything strange going on lately? Anything to put alarm you or put you on guard?

They both looked at each other rapidly and lowered their glances. Something was going on, and they seemed to be reluctant to disclose this to her. Seyvina moved in her chair impatiently, she was knocking with her fingertips against the chair handles.

- Volibor, it is no use concealing anything from me and you know it. I can find it out on my own. I was just hoping that the events of the past did still mean something to you and you would be more open while talking to me. After all that we had been through it is surprising to find you so secretive.

- Seyvina, - laughed Volibor uneasily, - I am not hiding anything from you. Why would I be secretive with you anyway? I see no occasion for that.

- Enough is enough, Volibor! – Cried out Seyvina sternly, and the lights in all the icon lamps blazed up at the same time to show her discontented and strict face.

Everyone in the hall shuddered and almost bounced up in their places from this sudden gust of emotions; everyone was looking at each other with big eyes, unable to utter a word. Even Seyvina, who had been but a moment ago so resolute, was now sitting in her chair and staring at Volibor and his wife in disbelief. It was only several moments later that she was able to exhale:

- You haven't grown old for a day!

Volibor did not respond in anyway, paralyzed himself from her discovery.

- And you, - Seyvina turned to Zdebora, - you look no more than sixteen, just like a child, although you must be around twenty-six now!

- What are you talking about? – Giggled Zdebora uneasily, - I have always looked very young, it is only natural for me. And Volibor looks his age – he is in his forties, after all.

- No, - retorted Seyvina, - it is not natural. If you were spirits or ballins, than it would be natural for you not to grow old. You are humans or are you… not?

Volibor jumped up to Seyvina and grabbed her hand cautiously.

- For heaven's sake, Seyvina, dim the lights! And please say not a word about it! If anyone sees us or hears you! – He was looking into her eyes pleadingly, and she could not refuse him; the hall sank into the darkness again.

- How did you attain this gift? – Asked Seyvina after a while, breaking the dark silence.

- If only I could know! – Sighed Volibor unpretentiously while his spouse was gravely silent.

- Do you really have no idea of how you became eternally young? – Exhaled Seyvina.

- I am begging you, Seyvina, do not utter such words here. What if someone overhears you? No one is to know about this, as we have no comprehension ourselves who did this to us and why.

- Certainly you do not know anything! – Zdebora continued her nagging contemptuously, - I would be surprised if you did! You never attempted to find out the reason for this, neither did you attempt to do anything about any other event!

- Honey, you know how busy I am with all the governmental affairs. After all, I have to rule all the lands on the continent, - returned Volibor pleadingly.

- Reading books at your library desk is not what governmental affairs are about. – Zdebora sniffed scornfully. – And you, - she turned to Seyvina her ice-cold angry eyes, - have no right to interfere in our affairs and question our doings. After all, we are the rulers of the whole continent and everything and everyone on it has to obey us. I hope you won't make a mistake of feeling too welcome in our castle, - she rose and everyone rose with her, and then Zdebora left.

- Would not be able even if I wanted to, - murmured Seyvina and shrugged her shoulders.

The trip had drawn her to the most amazing discoveries and she could not get rid of an obsessive idea that there was so much more to it than that, and some way or another she was bound to find out everything.

The evening was descending on Rodograd, and the warm sunset was playing with its rays on the roofs of the houses and on the spike-like towers of the castle. Seyvina was walking along the sinister corridors of the palace towards the library in the hope of finding him there. She had had an argument with Tsvetnisa over this about half an hour ago: her friend was quite set on the idea that the very meeting with Volibor was pregnant with nothing but unfavorable consequences. She did not recognize the prior Volibor in that man beaten down by life and succumbing to his wife's will in every way. She could not see it either how he might help them in their search; and to crown it all, Tsvetnisa did not trust him and found it extremely unreasonable to share any information that they possessed with him. Seyvina in her turn tried to prove it to Tsvetnisa that Volibor was the only human on the continent who they could trust; even though he was altered, it was still him, and he could not have changed in his essentials. Hence, she needed to have a private conversation with him, most importantly, without his wife.

The spacious library room was also covered by the dark blanket of the evening; with only a few scarce candles lit on the desk in the far corner, where a stooping figure of a big man was sitting. It felt so strange to see him reading, wearing royal robes instead of armors, seeking solitude instead of seeking her society. She came over to him, making almost not a sound; he was so carried away by reading that he did not even notice her till she sat in front of him at his desk. He shuddered.

- Why, you almost gave me a stroke! – He exclaimed.

- Now that we are alone, I would not beat around the bush, - Seyvina began, - Volibor, pray, tell me, what was all that about in the throne hall in the afternoon?

- What do you mean? – He either pretended or really was puzzled.

- Why are you so different when your queen is around? I would not have recognized you for anything.

- You are exaggerating. Indeed I have changed, but it is only because I have a family now. You have changed too, it is just that you do not notice this about yourself.

- How so? – Seyvina was surprised.

- You.. have become, - he faltered, trying to find a more polite word, she guessed, - tougher.

- Tougher! – Seyvina burst out laughing and Volibor smiled with her too. – You are wrong! – She exhaled and then, after a pause, grinned, - as I have noticed this about myself.

Volibor looked at her pensively.

- If she makes you suffer so, why would you be with her? – Seyvina asked directly, without trying to design any hints.

- This is insane, as she does not make me suffer. Besides, family is something integral, that cannot be and ought not to be split. If anything, why are you still married to your spouse?

Seyvina looked at him silently, thinking to herself: 'Well played, as I have nothing to retort to you'. She gave a shrug of shoulders in her turn.

- You see now how complicated things can be. And one should never interfere in relations between a husband and wife, as one can never grasp them.

- I am probably not the right person to preach on marital relations, - said Seyvina, - but this is not what I wanted to talk to you about; by no means is it why I came to this city this time.

Volibor put aside the book and drew himself closer to her. Candle lights were bouncing off his youthful skin, just like ten years ago.

- What is going on, Seyvina? What is bothering you? – He said gravely now, seeing that she was no longer joking.

- Duhovlad has disappeared.

Volibor's eyes grew bigger.

- How is it even possible? – He exhaled.

- I don't know. Yet he has been absent now for a few weeks, when he used to come to us every few days. I feel that something terrible has happened to him. I do know it. And if there is such a power in the world that could have hurt him, then we are all in a trouble beyond all fears that ever arouse in these lands.

- I am sure there is some misunderstanding, - Volibor said soothingly, - you have no proof that something has happened to him, do you?

- I don't, but..

- You must have had an argument the last time that he came to you, that's all. He is still holding grudge against you and therefore he is putting off his visit. I am sure that very soon he will come to you. That's a common thing in marriage.

- Volibor, I'm telling you, this is not what it is! – Exclaimed Seyvina, - I haven't had an argument with him for as long as I remember him. He is not upset about anything. He is gone! And we have to find out what has happened, we have to get prepared for that whatever is coming upon us.

- How are we to find out what it is? And why would you turn to me for help? I am hardly an adviser in such cases as this.

Seyvina rubbed her shoulder and sighed.

- Do you remember that day when we were both in the wooden house in the sky? The house, where everything began? – She asked.

- Certainly I do. You do not suggest going back to that sinister place, do you?

- I wish! But I have no knowledge of how to get there. Yet do you remember how you were getting rid of Chernek's body?

Volibor nodded in expectation.

- While you were doing this, I snatched one script-roll out of the bookcase. I took it with me, - Seyvina took the roll out of her skirts and put it on the table. How incredibly yellow and old it looked; but the material was not paper, it was something much harder, that could withstand thousands of years of decay.

- You stole Rod's script from that house! – Murmured Volibor in horror.

- Stole? – Seyvina grinned, - the house was derelict; it was nobody's property anymore.

- What if Rod returns to it and finds out about this stealth?

- He is very unlikely to return there.

- You could inflict his wrath upon yourself.

- Volibor, I have kept it for ten years in the Radiant Wood. It is time to open it. Do you see what the lace on it says? It is a script of the origin of things on the earth. We will be able to find out where we came from and what power stood behind the ballins. It is time.

- Seyvina, you are playing with far too dangerous things now! – Volibor rose from his chair and started to walk to and fro, - only think of the consequences that may befall you! You should have never taken the script!

Instead of listening to his exclamations, Seyvina unfolded the script and looked at the material.

- Volibor, only take a glance at this, - she muttered, feeling weak in her knees. Her voice was trembling and her head was spinning.

- What is it? – Volibor came up to the desk and looked at the script.

The material was as blank as the moon was white. Not a syllable was written upon the pale canvas, not a character. Seyvina fell into the chair and covered her face with her hands.

In the depth of the night, as they were all sleeping, it started to seem to Seyvina that she heard some hardly audible rustle in the room. Through her sleep she thought to herself: 'it's probably a mouse'. However, when in some time the rustle continued, she jumped in the bed and rushed out of it, looking around intensely. Ventseslava's bed was empty. Her heart sank, as she walked hurriedly in the next room; to her great relief she found the girl leaning against the window-sill in her sleeping gown.

- Honey, why are you not in bed? – Seyvina asked.

- Mother, I was trying to fall asleep, but I could not. This place seems so strange. Look, I'm drawing a picture here, - she pointed to a pale roll on the window, with graphic childish drawings on it. This was actually her script itself, taken from Rod's house. Seyvina smiled to herself: 'Well, at least some use out of you' – and took it in her hands. There were some blue letters on it to among the black drawings.

- You wrote something too, didn't you? What was it? A poem? – Seyvina asked her daughter.

- No, mother, these letters appeared once I put the roll on the window-sill.

- What? – cried out Seyvina very loudly.

She caught her breath in agitation and started to look intently at the canvas. Tsvetnisa came into the room, awoken by her cry.

- Dear, what is going on here? – She asked in a nagging tone.

- Ask for Volibor immediately! – Seyvina said.

- It is long past midnight, he must be asleep in his chambers, I can't call for him.

- We need to have him here and now, only look! – She held out the roll to her friend in the darkness. Tsvetnisa stared at it in perplex.

- It is but a child's drawing, - she murmured.

- What? No! – Seyvina looked at it again and so no letters on it.

- Mother, you have to put it on the window-sill again, - Ventseslava uttered with a tinge of irritation. – Otherwise you will see no letters.

So it was true: as soon as the moonlight descended on the canvas, the blue letters appeared again. It was a moonlight writing then, and it was in the ancient veriysk language.

- Tsvetnisa, please ask the warders to call for Volibor at once, - repeated Seyvina pleadingly, - we have to read it now.

- Honey, please do not make me ask for him, as he should not see this secret document. We do not know what to expect of this man nowadays. I do not lay great hopes on him.

- We've been through this already. Please ask for him, - said Seyvina in a tone that could stand no resistance.

Tsvetnisa sighed but walked out of the chambers and talked to the warders. In a few minutes there were heavy footsteps heard along the corridor and Volibor himself entered the room. Seyvina showed him the canvas.

- It is in some mysterious language, I do not know it, do you? – He said.

- Indeed I know it, - said Seyvina. – It says that 'the origin of everything on the earth can be revealed by the one person only, and she is the eternal Lady of the North, the woman standing in the gates between this world and the non-existent world, who appears in the North when she chooses'. Look, there is also a map that helps to locate her inn! If we are lucky enough, we can find her there!

- Indeed one needs to be lucky to meet her! – Laughed Volibor, looking at the map, - this is the farthest point of the continent, Seyvina, do you have any idea what it means?

- It is very far away, - she ventured a guess.

- Not only is it very far away, but it is also situated in the coldest land of all, where no living creature can travel to. Luthevit alone is cold enough to destroy whole armies in severe weather, and this place is far beyond Luthevit's borders. If this lady ever set her foot there, she must have got frozen and dead long time ago. And her inn must have been covered with layers of ice and snow by now, so it would be impossible to spot it.

- Are you saying that we won't even attempt to find her? – Asked Seyvina tiredly.

- Seyvina, you must go to bed now, - said Volibor calmly and tenderly, - in the morning, when you feel refreshed, you will see it very clearly that it is just a fantasy unworthy of your attention. There is nothing we could do about it. – He grabbed her shoulders and looked deep into her eyes, trying to sound as persuasively as possible. – Take a good sleep and let the child go to bed after all. – At this moment he glanced at Ventseslava and shook his head in a reproaching voice, - she must have been in bed hours ago.

The moon got covered with some clouds and all of a sudden it became even darker in the room. Seyvina could no longer see the canvas, she could no longer see Volibor's face. She had no choice now but to agree with him and so she did.

As Volibor left, they all went to their rooms. Seyvina, however, was rolling over in bed, as she could not sleep a wink this night. She rose and stealthily walked on her toes to her daughter's bed: the girl was breathing very quietly and peacefully, without a wrinkle of trouble on her forehead. Seyvina moved slowly to the living room, where she found Tsvetnisa sitting on the window-sill and gazing at the moon.

- I told you, there was no use talking to him, - she murmured.

- Indeed you were right about him, - whispered Seyvina sadly, - I don't know what I was trying to discern under that new mask of his: there is no more Volibor that I used to know in the world. – Then, after a pause, she kept on, - do you think he can use this knowledge against us now?

- In what way I wonder? – Tsvetnisa grinned.

- I have no idea, yet he could attempt at travelling there all on his own.

- He would not be able to make it to the North, he is but a mere human.

- How can we be so sure of that now? I saw him yourself, he is just what he was ten years ago, not a day older.

- Even if he travelled there ahead of us, how could he use this knowledge against us? Even you don't know what the truth is about and in what way it can help you or, on the contrary, prevent you from peaceful existence. I am telling you, he is to stay here and keep reading books and daydreaming at his library, just like his wife keeps accusing him of.

- You can't come with me, you know. – Seyvina said abruptly and harshly at the same time.

- How do you mean? – Tsvetnisa jumped off the window-sill and walked closer to her friend.

- It is way too dangerous for all of us to go there. As you said, we do not know anything about this Lady and the secrets that she can reveal to us. I know I would not let my daughter come, and someone has to stay here and take care of her.

- Then you can't go either, as your daughter needs you the most! Seyvina, do you really think this power can be as destructive as that?

- I don't know! – Exhaled she, - I mean I can't know. All I know is that Duhovlad is gone, and there is very little hope left for anyone who is weaker than him.

- Then let me go, and Velles, and the other ones. Do not take this on yourself, as you are the only one with child.

- It's true, yet I am also the only one who can withstand more than the rest of us. There can be no second opinion on the subject, my dear friend: I am to make this journey all on my own and you have to promise me that you will take care of Ventseslava, whatever betides.

- When are you setting off?

- Even before the dawn. – This reply made Tsvetnisa take a deep desperate sigh.

Nevertheless, it was too soon to despair, thought Seyvina to herself, as she was quite confident of her own skills and powers. It was not so easy to frighten her, not these days. After all, her own curiosity prevailed over any scruple of fear that could arise in the innermost of her soul. Whatever it was that awaited her could not be worse than the events of ten years ago, which had proved her survivability in such a remarkable and glorious manner.

A few hours later she went out to the balcony, fully armed and wearing massive furs, the warmest furs there were, called out for Velles's help, and he would not make her wait for long: the huge griffin was descending to her from the sky, well prepared for the severest trip of his life.

The trip took several bitterly cold days and made Seyvina see from the distance the indented lines of frosty mountains of Luthevit, with the numerous passages between the mountain peaks, and with fathomless pits of mountain feet staring at her from the abyss. The barren land that could yield no crop, no harvest, now wood with game, no tempting weather, it spread around the vast part of the continent, like a natural fortress, standing in the way to the utmost North. Nevertheless, for some inscrutable reasons of their own, people did keep inhabiting the towns, villages and cities, located on the mountain slopes, isolated from all sides with only one way out – through the long thin stone bridge-like passage leading to the next mountain peak over the dark abyss. She could see the prisons erected in a drastic hurry ten years ago, some of them had been constructed so badly and with violations of all technical rules, that they were already partially destroyed by the outbursts of the weather: snowfalls, avalanches, landslides. The damage, however, did not entail that the prisons were to be shut down, even though many prisoners had died during the collapses of parts of them. They were still operating, and the damaged walls had been poorly restructured, in the way that let the whole buildings get blown through by any heavy gust of the wind, which in its turn led to higher death rate in them. Yet nothing was done, nothing was endeavored to change the situation. Even the laws in the country were still the same as Chaslav had intended them to be once: cruel laws, restricting drinking and many other things, so that as many people as possible could be brought to justice and sentenced for life-long terms and by this turned into slaves working day and night in the manufactures for free.

The economy of this barren land would have been so much worse and less prosperous if it had not been for this order of things, extremely convenient for the rulers. This is why Seyvina could see it only too clearly why Volibor did not undertake any attempt at demolishing this Chaslav's structure; it was too advantageous for the treasury of Rodograd; hence, it could last forever. And so it would with Volibor living now an eternal life, Seyvina grinned in a bitter and sad way. Ten years ago she would not have believed her thinking now, not even for a moment; but there she was, as down-to-earth as she could ever be, having made a long journey from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Just when it seemed to her that it could not get any colder, she crossed the borders of Luthevit and entered the territory beyond the human's habitat, the lands where ancient veryish people used to live once till they were all gone, killed by the weather one by one. It was now that she managed to appreciate the favorable and pleasant weather conditions of Luthevit, which seemed like a dream land at the moment, compared to the frozen mountain towers of the utmost North, where there was no end to the harsh snowfalls and severe blizzards, where the white wall of snow was all you could see, the frozen aching skin of your own face (even though covered with woolen scarves) was all you could feel, and the moment you could find the cherished spot of a warm inn was all you could think of. Indeed Volibor had not been lying when he said that no one was able to make it through the trip, no one from the humans at least. And Seyvina hoped only that the griffin would make it.

When the long-awaited spot appeared through the wall of snow, she knew they were very close to their destination. The inn was situated on the hill and did not drown in the snow, as it could have long ago done, had it been situated in the gully. The smoke was coming out of the chimney, which meant that the place was not derelict. The griffin flew over to the inn and landed on the mellow snow, Seyvina jumped off and the griffin flew to the roof and sat near the chimney, trying to make himself warmer, as the roof around the chimney was quite hot. Seyvina took a deep breath and knocked on the door. There was no answer, so she ventured to come in without any welcome. The inside of the inn was rather modest, with as little furniture as possible, and the plain wooden table with as plain chairs were almost everything that made up the attire of the room, which was badly lit by few candles and the stove. The window glass was too dirty to let the light penetrate inside the inn. Seyvina took a look around and saw that there was no one present; she was about to make a desperate sigh, when the voice from the dark corner uttered:

- So here you are at last! Come in, come in, make yourself comfortable, – the squeaky voice of an old woman welcomed her.

Seyvina made a step forward and looked intently in the corner, where she had not noticed a dark little figure of an old woman. She was sitting in the chair behind the table. The woman's skin was all black and dry as if she had been working hard all her life; yet there was something in her whole countenance and overall looks that made Seyvina flinch uneasily: her rough face, her prominent hooked nose and sullen cheeks did remind her of someone, as if they had already met, but she could not recall where and how.

- I have been waiting for you for a long time, - said the woman.

- Do you mean that you know who I am? – Asked Seyvina cautiously.

- Indeed I do know who you are. Who could be unaware of your glorious name, the great Seyvina, the rescuer of the whole land, the peacemaker. Although not much has changed on the continent since your sweeping victories of the past. – It was too obvious now that the old woman was teasing her.

- At least there have been no more wars here since then, - contradicted Seyvina.

- That I admit, - the woman nodded and the malicious glimpses flared up in the depth of her eyes.

- Can I know your name, the Lady of the North?

- Is it why you have come here? To find out my name? – The old lady gave a contemptuous snort.

- No, but I believe that you know it very well without me telling you why I have come. I was just trying to be polite when I asked your name.

- I know you were, - grinned the old woman, - you are a nice girl, aren't you? My name will tell you nothing. Zbigneva is what they used to call me.

- A few moments ago you said that you had been waiting for me – is it really so? But why?

- Let us deal with one question at a time, - said Zbigneva evasively, - you have come to learn the truth about the origin of everything in this world, haven't you? You crave for the knowledge about this and other worlds, about the land that never existed, don't you? You long to know what Duhovlad concealed from you through all these years. You wish to know where he is gone.

- So he did conceal something from me? – Exhaled Seyvina, leaning closer to Zbigneva.

- Indeed he did! There is no such thing as no secrets when it comes to marriage, is there? After all, you haven't been that honest with him either. You have got a little secret of your own, haven't you? – her dry lips spread in a self-complacent smile as she spoke, - Damora has been so good at keeping it for you throughout these years. It's a shame you did not see your husband's countenance when I told him about it.

- He's been here! – Exclaimed Seyvina and rose from the chair. She started to walk to and fro along the room, nervously twisting her own arms, - and you have told him about this! You did! That's why he's gone! Oh how he must despise me now, he must be devising a scheme how to turn the tables on me!

- Calm down and stop rushing about the room, you make my head spin, - said Zbigneva in discontent, - it is no use crying over the spilt milk, you know. Besides, he is anything but busy crafting a revenge plan for you.

- What do you mean? – Seyvina stopped and looked intently at the woman.

- He has problems of his own, you know.

- If you hate me so much, what is the point in asking you any questions now? – Seyvina sighed tiredly, - I should not have come!

- Hate you? – Zbigneva laughed, - I do no hate you! What would make you think so? The fact that I told your spouse about your little trick? Perhaps I did it because I can't stand him, not you. You, by the way, can still be put to a better use.

- I don't understand, - Seyvina murmured, - what have you done to Duhovlad?

- If I reveal the origin of your world to you, you'll learn it all: the truth about this world and the land that never existed, so elaborately concealed by Duhovlad and Rod and the clue to what happened to your husband. Do you really wish to unveil this?

- Do you really have knowledge of all those things?

- Do I! – Zbigneva laughed, - the question should be: are you not at all scared of what awaits you there, where all the secrets are unmasked and there are no more veils to hide your true self behind?

- Scared! – It was now Seyvina's turn to laugh, - you can't scare me, Zbigneva, the Lady of the North. Those times when I could have been frightened by anyone or by anything have long ago gone.

- I am sorry to hear that, - the old woman rose from her chair feebly, - as there is so much fear in store for you! – She exclaimed harshly and raised her hand and squeezed her fingers in an ugly fist with claws.

Seyvina was about to utter something in her turn but the words got stuck in her mouth and all of a sudden she felt weak in the knees, she fell down and bent over, struggling with the unknown power that seized and tortured her, yet she knew not how to outdo it. She could see now quite clearly that her own chest was getting blue, it was turning into ice, just like in her dream. Only then it was Duhovlad who was turning into an ice sculpture, and this time it was happening to her. She turned out to be so weak, so incredibly weak as opposed to the tiny old woman, the thought rushed through her mind, but then very soon she was unable to think, as she turned into ice and burst into little sharp pieces, scattered around on the floor.


End file.
